Indian student, rescued from lake in hurricane-hit Texas, dies

Shalini Singh, who was pursuing Masters degree in public health from Texas A&M University, was rescued from Lake Bryan, where she had gone swimming with another Indian Nikhil Bhatia.

worldUpdated: Sep 04, 2017 08:49 IST

Press Trust of India Press Trust of India, Houston

A neighbourhood in Houston that was flooded after hurricane Harvey struck the region. Two Indians who were rescued from a lake have died.(AP / Representative photo)

A 25-year-old Indian student has died in Houston, days after she was rescued along with an Indian man from a swollen lake in the US state of Texas where hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc.

Shalini Singh, a student pursuing Masters degree in public health from Texas A&M University, was rescued from Lake Bryan, where she along with another Indian student Nikhil Bhatia had gone swimming last Saturday.

While Bhatia died in hospital on August 30, Singh, who continued to be in a critical condition, was declared dead Sunday night.

Her younger brother and maternal uncle, who flew in from New Delhi on August 30, were with her at the time of death.

Singh, originally hailing from Delhi, came to the US only last month to pursue the two years Masters programme after her degree in Dental Surgery from I T S Dental College in Greater Noida.

She will be cremated in Bryan on Tuesday or Wednesday next week, according to the consulate sources.

Singh continued to be on life support till the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, according to the Indian consulate officials, who were in regular touch with the family members in hospital.

According to their friends and some witnesses, Singh and Bhatia were swimming in the lake when a sudden current of water pushed them deeper.

The friends accompanying them noticed that the duo were in distress and flagged down nearby police officers.

Bryan Police officers were able to rescue and provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the victims until medics arrived, according to Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson.

Consul General of India in Houston, Dr Anupam Ray had been monitoring her medical needs and situation closely.

Around 13 million people were battling flooding and torrential rains in storm-ravaged Texas where hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc, claiming at least 50 lives.

According to local community leaders, at least 150,000 Indian-Americans live in and around Houston area and have been badly hit by the hurricane.